Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Ode to My Husband by Giving Him One Bite of His Favorite Dish = serves 4 with leftovers

A friend of mine has a fabulous blog and more times than not, writes "zingers" that make you pause, think and then feel remorse. Sometimes after I read them, such as most recently, I felt like Snoopy when the Red Baron shoots him down and he's all disgruntled for losing the attack. And, just like Snoopy, I bounce back once I have a plan of action that I've actually pondered over and know it will work. Here lies the reason for this post. I love and actually adore my husband. Truth be told, I do poke fun (and have a good time doing so) and give him a hard time. I asked him if he had read my Valentines post and he responded with, "no, because you probably threw me under the bus." Now, that's sad. I grabbed my phone and began reading..... he did laugh and that's when my daughter replied with, "Dad, she didn't throw you under the bus, she ran over you with a big Carnival Cruise ship." Ok, that's a little harsh. Then, I read my friends post. "....My husband needs to hear me honor him with my words in front of our kids and our friends and, dang it, even strangers. Even in my blog, I can be very self-deprecating — but I try to always honor my husband with my words. A million candlelit dinners and roaring fires won’t amount to much if I’ve got a razor-sharp tongue." Whew. Kind of has a point. So, with that, I just happened to get this dish as a request for a dinner party and thought it'd be a great way to apologize. I mean really, a way to a man's heart (and his forgiveness) is through his stomach, right? Even if he only had one bite.

Put all the above ingredients in a large stock pot, covering chicken with water, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes. (You will now have leftover chicken stock for future cooking that can be frozen!) Remove all veggies and toss. Remove chicken and let it cool enough to shred, discarding skin. Set aside. Skim any excess fat from broth. Reserve 2 cups and save the rest.

Mix until reheated then add.... are you ready?1 small box of Velvetta! (I can't stomach the stuff, but I swear the men love it. You can buy Whole Foods cheese dip that is half the calories and is better for you, if it can be, but Tim swears the fake stuff is much better)

Mix until melted then add your shredded chicken, incorporating within the sauce. Once mixed and melted, add your cooked spaghetti, tossing to coat. Then serve! If your significant other isn't watching his weight, this will win you big brownie points and maybe a mani/pedi. :)